Google Search improves for holiday makers, simplifies online shopping

Google wants to make searching, booking and paying for your December holiday an easier affair, according to its new additions to Google Search. The company this week announced that it will “make travel planning and mobile shopping easier” thanks to a few new ad-centric features.

Firstly, the company’s beefing up its search algorithm to give users more acute holiday-making results tuned to specific queries. For instance, Google notes that it’ll “now give people the option to filter Hotel search results based on specific needs”.

Google’s simplifying jet-setting

“For example, travelers can filter based on rating or price with one tap on their phones.”

Hotel searches will also now include “Deal” stickers to highlight when a hotel’s rates are going for a little cheaper than usual. And because Google thinks that you suck at booking hotels yourself, it’s also adding a “tips” feature.

“We may show Tips to people when they could save money or find better availability by moving their dates slightly. For example, you may see a Tip like, “Save $105 if you stay Wed, Jul 13 – Fri, Jul 15,” the company explains.

Other features including flight price tracking will also make its bow globally before the end of the year (many features are now available in the US).

Shopping from your sofa (and YouTube)

If you can’t get out this year, Google’s also solving your shopping needs too.

The company’s adding a slew of features to YouTube to allow users to purchase products direct from videos. Companion banners and a product picker feature make their bow.

And beyond YouTube, Google also wants users to splash cash across country borders.

“To make shopping more efficient for shoppers and merchants alike, we’re currently testing a tool to perform currency conversions in Australia, Switzerland, Canada, and the UK,” the company explains.

“This conversion makes your ads more understandable to users in other countries, while allowing you to continue using your existing website and landing pages without change.”

You can read about each feature in depth over on Google’s AdWords blog.